Buying guide: Salon Carts & Trolleys
Match the cart to the service, not to the room
Pedi carts and trolleys are built around one problem: bottles tipping over while the cart rolls between chairs. The ones that solve it publish round holders. The Nova I has four 5 inch holders sized for larger bottles and jars, the Sonoma four at 2.5 inches, and the Alera a top alcove with a 2.5 inch retaining lip. That detail is the difference between a pedi trolley and a generic cart.
Hair salon trolleys are taller and built around heat. The Claire publishes a top-mounted appliance ring for a hot iron and two lockable doors. The Glasglow spa trolley stands 41.4 inches with a two-level display top and a pull-out tray hidden in the top drawer.
Service trays are a rolling aluminum surface on a stand. The Bailey publishes a 13 by 18 inch stain-resistant tray on a steel stand with five casters and a deliberately wide, low base so it does not tip when knocked. The Trelavi is the same idea in powder-coated colors.
Glass utility trolleys belong in treatment and medical rooms. The Eva and Ryder both publish tempered glass shelves at 19.49 by 14.17 inches rated to bear over 300 lb, on a robot-welded frame with a lamp holder and noiseless wheels. Glass wipes truly clean, the point in a facial or med spa room.
The lock question, for booth rentals and shared floors
If you rent a booth or share a floor, your kit walks. The Claire is the only cart here that publishes a lock: two doors with a built-in lock, high-impact ABS construction, 15 by 17 by 34 inches, 19 lb, ships by ground. If security is part of the problem, that narrows the list to one.
Height and what it means at the chair
Published heights split the collection cleanly.
- Low, beside a pedicure chair: the Alera at 20 inches, the Nova I, Sonoma and Avon I trolleys at 23.75 inches, the Milan at 24, the Glasglow pedi trolley at 25.
- Working height at a station: the Avignon 3-drawer at 28 inches, the Eva and Ryder at 31.1, the Claire at 34, the Caleb at 35 in use.
- Adjustable: the Bailey tray from 26.75 to 42 inches and the Trelavi from 27 to 42.5. That is what lets one tray serve a seated pedicure and a standing color service.
- Tall display: the Glasglow spa trolley at 41.4 inches.
Storage layout versus tray space
Decide whether you need the cart to hold the working kit or to present it.
Drawer-forward carts: the Avignon 3-drawer, the Milan, and the Nova I with a top drawer at 11.5 by 10.5 by 3 inches and a deeper bottom drawer at 11.5 by 10.5 by 8. The Avignon with back cabinet adds concealed rear storage behind two front drawers, the answer when backup product and personal items should not be visible to the client.
Surface-forward carts: the Bailey and Caleb trays, the Eva and Ryder glass trolleys. These give a wipeable surface and very little storage, which is correct for a treatment room where supplies live in a cabinet.
Surfaces, and what survives a nail floor
Pedi trolleys need a top that handles polish and remover. The Nova I publishes a scratch- and acetone-proof granite top, the Sonoma an off-white granite top, and the Avon I a granite marble top over hardwood veneer. The Glasglow pedi trolley uses frosted glass, which wipes genuinely clean between clients. For trays, stain-resistant aluminum is the standard.
Three workflow features worth paying for
A removable tray top. The Bailey with the removable top lets you load the tray at the back bar or sterilization area, carry it to the station, and set it on the stand. On a crowded floor that beats pushing a whole cart through.
Folding flat. The Caleb folds flat in seconds and leans into a closet at 47 inches. If your treatment room doubles as something else between appointments, that is the cart that gives the floor back.
Carrying handles. The Alera trolley publishes two reinforced side handles, so it moves between rooms without rolling over thresholds. The Alera Pedicart Stool goes further: a 12 by 12 inch tech seat, a client footrest extending 25 to 37 inches, and a drawer under the seat make it a whole mobile pedicure station for salons working benches and sofas.
Matching the cart to the furniture you already own
Several of these are built as the companion piece to a manicure or pedicure line. The Nova I, Sonoma, Avon I, Seneca, Glasglow and Avignon carts each match a table family of the same name in finish and material. If your stations came from one of those lines, order the matching trolley so the room reads as one installation.
Shipping and cost
Nearly everything here ships by ground. Published weights: Claire 19 lb, Alera Pedicart Stool 33 lb, Milan 40 lb, Glasglow pedi trolley 45 lb, Avignon 3-drawer 47.5 lb, Glasglow spa trolley 86 lb. The Avon I pedicure trolley ships by freight at 52 lb.
Ground shipping is why carts are the easiest line item to add late in a build-out. Shipping is calculated at checkout and we deliver nationwide. Put one cart per working station in the quote rather than buying them after you notice the shortage.
Compared
Prices are the current prices on this site. Freight is calculated at checkout.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a salon cart and a salon trolley?
The terms are used interchangeably in the trade. What matters is the build. A pedi trolley has bottle holders and sits low beside a spa chair. A hair salon trolley stands taller and holds irons and product. A service tray is a rolling aluminum surface with no storage. A glass utility trolley is for treatment rooms where the shelves have to wipe clean.
Which salon cart has a lock?
The Claire Lockable Salon Trolley by Berkeley. It publishes two doors with a built-in lock, a top-mounted appliance ring for a hot iron, side storage and high-impact ABS construction at 15 by 17 by 34 inches. It is the only cart in this collection with a published lock.
Can a cart hold a facial machine or equipment?
The glass utility trolleys are built for it. Both the Eva and the Ryder publish tempered glass shelves at 19.49 by 14.17 inches rated to bear over 300 lb on a robot-welded metal frame, with a built-in lamp holder for mounting a mag lamp.
Which carts adjust in height?
The Bailey rolling tray adjusts from 26.75 to 42 inches and the Trelavi from 27 to 42.5 inches. Adjustable height lets one tray work for a seated pedicure and a standing color service. Everything else here is a fixed height, published on each product page.
Do these ship by freight?
Mostly not. Nearly everything in this collection ships by ground, with published weights from 19 lb to 86 lb, which means no freight appointment. The Avon I pedicure trolley is the freight exception at 52 lb. Shipping is calculated at checkout.
How many carts does a salon need?
One per working station is the usual answer, plus a tray or two that move around the floor. Carts are easy to leave out of a build-out quote and cheap to add, so count stations before you order.
Can I get carts that match my manicure or pedicure tables?
Yes, if your tables came from one of the matched lines. The Nova I, Sonoma, Avon I, Seneca, Glasglow and Avignon carts each match a table family of the same name in finish and material.
